Touch panel and display device including the same

ABSTRACT

A touch panel includes: a substrate having a touch recognition area and a fingerprint recognition area; a plurality of first sensing electrodes in the touch recognition area on the substrate; and a first connection electrode connecting adjacent ones of the first sensing electrodes in a first direction. A portion of the first connection electrode adjacent to the fingerprint recognition area is bent along an edge of the fingerprint recognition area.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/677,946, filed Aug. 15, 2017, which claims priority to and thebenefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2016-0113169, filed on Sep.2, 2016, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), thedisclosure of both of which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

Aspects of some example embodiments of the present invention relate to atouch panel and a display device including the touch panel.

2. Discussion of Related Art

In recent times, capabilities have been added to display devices inaddition to the capability of merely displaying images. A display deviceincluding a fingerprint recognition sensor is an example thereof.

Fingerprint recognition sensors may utilize, for example, capacitivesensors, an optical sensors, a thermal sensors, and an ultrasonicsensors, for example. Among the different categories of fingerprintrecognition sensors, capacitive sensors may utilize an arrangement ofadjacent sensing electrodes and recognize a fingerprint using acapacitance difference based on a distance between a ridge and a valleyof the fingerprint.

A related art display device may include a display panel, a touch panelon the display panel, a fingerprint sensor on the touch panel, and acover glass on the fingerprint sensor. As such, because a separatefingerprint sensor may be added for fingerprint recognition, a processmay be added and the thickness of the display device may increase.

The above information disclosed in this Background section is only forenhancement of understanding of the background of the inventive concept,and, therefore, it may contain information that does not constituteprior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinaryskill in the art.

SUMMARY

Aspects of some example embodiments of the present invention relate to atouch panel and a display device including the touch panel. Some exampleembodiments of the present invention include a touch panel having afingerprint recognition function and a display device including thetouch panel.

Example embodiments of the present invention may include a touch panelhaving a fingerprint recognition function without a separate fingerprintsensor and to a display device including the touch panel.

According to some example embodiments of the present invention, a touchpanel includes: a substrate having a touch recognition area and afingerprint recognition area; a plurality of first sensing electrodes inthe touch recognition area on the substrate; and a first connectionelectrode connecting adjacent ones of the first sensing electrodes in afirst direction, wherein a portion of the first connection electrodeadjacent to the fingerprint recognition area is bent along an edge ofthe fingerprint recognition area.

According to some example embodiments, the touch panel may furtherinclude: a plurality of second sensing electrodes in the touchrecognition area on the substrate, the plurality of second sensingelectrodes insulated from the first sensing electrodes; and a secondconnection electrode connecting adjacent ones of the second sensingelectrodes in a second direction intersecting the first direction.

According to some example embodiments, a portion of the secondconnection electrode adjacent the fingerprint recognition area is bentalong the edge of the fingerprint recognition area.

According to some example embodiments, the first sensing electrode andthe second sensing electrode have at least one of: a quadrangular shape,a triangular shape, a lozenge shape, a circular shape, an ellipticalshape, a semicircular shape, or polygonal shape.

According to some example embodiments, the fingerprint recognition areahas at least one of: a quadrangular shape, a triangular shape, a lozengeshape, a circular shape, an elliptical shape, a semicircular shape, orpolygonal shape.

According to some example embodiments, the fingerprint recognition areahas an area equal to integer multiples of an area of the first sensingelectrode.

According to some example embodiments, the first sensing electrode hasan area in a range of 3 square millimeters (mm²) to 30 mm².

According to some example embodiments, the fingerprint recognition areais surrounded by the first sensing electrode and the second sensingelectrode.

According to some example embodiments, the fingerprint recognition areais positioned in at least one edge portion of the substrate.

According to some example embodiments of the present invention, a touchpanel includes: a substrate having a touch recognition area and afingerprint recognition area; a plurality of first sensing electrodes inthe touch recognition area on the substrate; a first connectionelectrode connecting adjacent ones of the first sensing electrodes inone direction; a touch driving unit configured to drive the firstsensing electrode; and a first routing wiring connecting the firstsensing electrode and the touch driving unit, wherein at least one ofthe plurality of first sensing electrodes adjacent to the fingerprintrecognition area is separated from the plurality of first sensingelectrodes, and the touch panel further comprises an auxiliary routingwiring connecting the separated first sensing electrode and the touchdriving unit.

According to some example embodiments, the touch panel may furtherinclude a third sensing electrode and a fourth sensing electrodeinsulated from each other in the fingerprint recognition area on thesubstrate.

According to some example embodiments, the touch panel may furtherinclude: a fingerprint recognition unit configured to drive the thirdsensing electrode and the fourth sensing electrode; a third routingwiring connecting the third sensing electrode and the fingerprintrecognition unit; and a fourth routing wiring connecting the fourthsensing electrode and the fingerprint recognition unit.

According to some example embodiments, the touch driving unit and thefingerprint recognition unit oppose each other on the substrate.

According to some example embodiments of the present invention, adisplay device includes: a display panel comprising a plurality ofpixels for displaying an image; a touch panel on the display panel, thetouch panel including: a plurality of first sensing electrodes in atouch recognition area on the display panel; and a first connectionelectrode connecting adjacent ones of the first sensing electrodes inone direction; and a cover glass on the first sensing electrode, whereina portion of the first connection electrode adjacent to a fingerprintrecognition area is bent along an edge of the fingerprint recognitionarea.

According to some example embodiments, the cover glass has a groove inan area corresponding to the fingerprint recognition area.

The foregoing is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any waylimiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, andfeatures described above, further aspects, embodiments, and featureswill become apparent by reference to the drawings and the followingdetailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete appreciation of aspects of some example embodiments ofthe present invention will become more apparent by describing in moredetail example aspects of some example embodiments thereof withreference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a display deviceaccording to an example embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a touch panel according to an exampleembodiment;

FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged view illustrating a fingerprint recognitionarea of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I-I ‘of FIG. 2 andthe line II-II’ of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating a touch panel according to someexample embodiments;

FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating a touch panel according to someexample embodiments;

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating a touch panel according to someexample embodiments;

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating a touch panel according to someexample embodiments;

FIG. 9 is a partial enlarged view illustrating a fingerprint recognitionarea of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a display deviceaccording to some example embodiments; and

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a display deviceaccording to some example embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of some example embodiments will now be described more fullyhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although theinvention can be modified in various manners and have severalembodiments, example embodiments are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and will be described in the specification. However, the scopeof the invention is not limited to the example embodiments and should beconstrued as including all the changes, equivalents, and substitutionsincluded in the spirit and scope of the invention.

In the drawings, thicknesses of a plurality of layers and areas areillustrated in an enlarged manner for clarity and ease of descriptionthereof. When a layer, area, or plate is referred to as being “on”another layer, area, or plate, it may be directly on the other layer,area, or plate, or intervening layers, areas, or plates may be presenttherebetween. Conversely, when a layer, area, or plate is referred to asbeing “directly on” another layer, area, or plate, intervening layers,areas, or plates may be absent therebetween. Further when a layer, area,or plate is referred to as being “below” another layer, area, or plate,it may be directly below the other layer, area, or plate, or interveninglayers, areas, or plates may be present therebetween. Conversely, when alayer, area, or plate is referred to as being “directly below” anotherlayer, area, or plate, intervening layers, areas, or plates may beabsent therebetween.

The spatially relative terms “below”, “beneath”, “less”, “above”,“upper”, and the like, may be used herein for ease of description todescribe the relations between one element or component and anotherelement or component as illustrated in the drawings. It will beunderstood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompassdifferent orientations of the device in use or operation, in addition tothe orientation depicted in the drawings. For example, in the case wherea device shown in the drawing is turned over, the device positioned“below” or “beneath” another device may be placed “above” anotherdevice. Accordingly, the illustrative term “below” may include both thelower and upper positions. The device may also be oriented in the otherdirection, and thus the spatially relative terms may be interpreteddifferently depending on the orientations.

Throughout the specification, when an element is referred to as being“connected” to another element, the element is “directly connected” tothe other element, or “electrically connected” to the other element withone or more intervening elements interposed therebetween. It will befurther understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes”and/or “including,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

It will be understood that, although the terms “first,” “second,”“third,” and the like may be used herein to describe various elements,these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms areonly used to distinguish one element from another element. Thus, “afirst element” discussed below could be termed “a second element” or “athird element,” and “a second element” and “a third element” can betermed likewise without departing from the teachings herein.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical andscientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by thoseskilled in the art to which this invention pertains. It will be furtherunderstood that terms, such as those defined in commonly useddictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that isconsistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art andwill not be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal sense unlessclearly defined in the present specification.

Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout thespecification.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a display deviceaccording to an example embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, the display device according to an exampleembodiment may include a display panel DP including a plurality ofpixels PX for displaying images, a touch panel TP on the display panelDP, and a cover glass CG on the touch panel TP.

In an example embodiment, the display panel DP may be one of: a liquidcrystal display (LCD) panel, an organic light emitting diode (OLED)display panel, a plasma display panel (PDP), and/an electrophoreticdisplay (EPD) panel.

The display panel DP may include the plurality of pixels PX arranged ina matrix arrangement. In an example embodiment, the pixel PX is depictedas having a substantially lozenge shape, but example embodiments are notlimited thereto. The pixel PX may have various shapes such as asubstantially quadrangular shape and a substantially triangular shape.

In addition, although the pixel PX according to an example embodiment isdescribed as including a red pixel, a green pixel, and a blue pixel,example embodiments are not limited thereto. The pixel PX may be atleast one selected from the group consisting of: red, green, blue, cyan,magenta, yellow, and white pixels.

The touch panel TP may be arranged or positioned on the display panelDP.

The touch panel TP according to an example embodiment is described onthe premise that it has a structure in which a plurality of sensingelectrodes are arranged or positioned on a substrate, but exampleembodiments are not limited thereto. In an example embodiment, the touchpanel TP may be an on-cell type to be directly arranged or positioned onthe display panel DP without a separate substrate or may be an in-celltype to be formed in the display panel DP.

The touch panel TP may include a touch recognition area TA and afingerprint recognition area FA on a plane. In an example embodiment,the fingerprint recognition area FA may be at least one edge portion ofa substrate 100 on a plane. For example, the fingerprint recognitionarea FA may be a central portion of at least one edge portion of thesubstrate 100 on a plane.

However, example embodiments are not limited thereto, and thefingerprint recognition area FA may be an area (e.g., a predeterminedarea) on the substrate 100, and may include a plurality of areas. Agreat portion on the substrate 100, excluding the fingerprintrecognition area FA, may correspond to the touch recognition area TA.

The fingerprint recognition area FA according to an example embodimentis depicted in FIG. 1 as having a lozenge shape, but example embodimentsare not limited thereto. The fingerprint recognition area FA maysubstantially have a quadrangular shape, a triangular shape, a lozengeshape, a circular shape, an elliptical shape, a semicircular shape, apolygonal shape, or combinations thereof.

In addition, the touch panel TP according to an example embodiment mayhave a structure in which sensing electrodes for detecting capacitanceare disposed on different layers, but example embodiments are notlimited thereto. The touch panel TP may have a structure in which thesensing electrodes for detecting capacitance are disposed onsubstantially a same layer and may be separated from one another using abridge electrode.

The cover glass CG may be arranged or positioned on the touch panel TP.The cover glass CG may include or be formed of at least one materialselected from the group consisting of: glass, sapphire, diamond,polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and polycarbonate (PC). The cover glassCG may have a groove in an area FA′ corresponding to the fingerprintrecognition area FA of the touch panel TP, which will be described indetail below.

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a touch panel according to an exampleembodiment, FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged view illustrating thefingerprint recognition area of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional viewtaken along line I-I′ of FIG. 2 and line II-II′of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 isa plan view illustrating a touch panel according to alternative exampleembodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the touch panel TP according to anexample embodiment includes: the substrate 100 including a touchrecognition area TA and a fingerprint recognition area FA; a pluralityof first sensing electrodes 110 in the touch recognition area TA on thesubstrate 100; a first connection electrode 111 connecting adjacent onesof the first sensing electrodes 110 in a first direction D1; a pluralityof third sensing electrodes 120 in the fingerprint recognition area FAon the substrate 100; a first insulating layer 200 on the first sensingelectrode 110, the first connection electrode 111, and the third sensingelectrode 120; a plurality of second sensing electrodes 310 in the touchrecognition area TA on the first insulating layer 200; a secondconnection electrode 311 connecting adjacent ones of the second sensingelectrodes 310 in a second direction D2 intersecting the first directionD1; a fourth sensing electrode 320 in the fingerprint recognition areaFA on the first insulating layer 200; and a second insulating layer 400on the second sensing electrode 310, the second connection electrode311, and the fourth sensing electrode 320.

The first sensing electrode 110 and the second sensing electrode 310 maybe arranged or positioned on a plane so as not to overlap each other.The first connection electrode 111 and the second connection electrode311 may intersect each other on a plane (e.g., from a plan or top view).

Although the first sensing electrode 110 and the second sensingelectrode 310 are depicted as each having a shape of a lozenge-shaped(e.g., or diamond-shaped) planar electrode in FIG. 2, exampleembodiments are not limited thereto. In an example embodiment, the firstsensing electrode 110 and the second sensing electrode 310 may eachsubstantially have a quadrangular shape, a triangular shape, a lozengeshape, a circular shape, an elliptical shape, a semicircular shape, apolygonal shape, or combinations thereof.

The first sensing electrode 110, the first connection electrode 111, thesecond sensing electrode 310, and the second connection electrode 311may have a mesh shape.

The first sensing electrode 110 and the second sensing electrode 310 mayhave suitable sizes to detect a touch input based on the size andpurpose of use of the display device. For example, the first sensingelectrode 110 and the second sensing electrode 310 may have an arearanging from about several (e.g., 3) square millimeters (mm²) to aboutseveral tens of square millimeters (e.g., 30 mm²).

In the touch panel TP according to an example embodiment, thefingerprint recognition area FA is depicted as having substantially asame area as an area of one of the first sensing electrode 110 or thesecond sensing electrode 310, but example embodiments are not limitedthereto. An area of the fingerprint recognition area FA may be integermultiples (e.g., or about integer multiples) (e.g., in a range of twiceto five times) of an area of one of the first sensing electrode 110 orthe second sensing electrode 310, or may have a suitable value based onthe size and purpose of use of the display device.

The first sensing electrode 110, the first connection electrode 111, thesecond sensing electrode 310, and the second connection electrode 311may include a metal or a transparent conductive oxide (TCO). Such a TCOmay include at least one material selected from the group consisting of:indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnO),carbon nanotube (CNT), or graphene.

Referring to FIG. 2, a first connection electrode 111 a connecting firstsensing electrodes 110 a adjacent to the fingerprint recognition area FAmay be bent along an edge of the fingerprint recognition area FA. In thecase where the second connection electrode 311 connecting the secondsensing electrodes 310 is arranged or positioned adjacent to thefingerprint recognition area FA, the second connection electrode 311 maybe also bent along the edge of the fingerprint recognition area FA.

The first sensing electrode 110 may be electrically connected to a firstrouting wiring 115 and the second sensing electrode 120 may beelectrically connected to a second routing wiring 315. The first routingwiring 115 and the second routing wiring 315 may be connected to a touchdriving unit 500.

The touch driving unit 500 inputs a driving signal to the first sensingelectrode 110, and may detect the presence of a touch input and touchcoordinates based on a capacitance variation and a voltage variationmeasured by the second sensing electrode 310.

The touch driving unit 500 may be arranged or positioned directly on thesubstrate 100 in the form of an IC or may be provided as a separateconfiguration. The touch driving unit 500 may be arranged or positionedon the substrate 100 to oppose a fingerprint recognition unit 600 to bedescribed below.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, in the case where the touchdriving unit 500 is arranged or positioned at an upper portion of thesubstrate 100 from a plane, the fingerprint recognition unit 600 may bearranged or positioned at a lower portion of the substrate 100 from aplane. Similarly, in the case where the touch driving unit 500 isarranged or positioned at a lower portion of the substrate 100 from aplane, the fingerprint recognition unit 600 may be arranged orpositioned at an upper portion of the substrate 100 from a plane.

However, example embodiments are not limited thereto, and the touchdriving unit 500 and the fingerprint recognition unit 600 may bearranged or positioned on substantially a same side of the substrate 100as illustrated in FIG. 5. In addition, the touch driving unit 500 andthe fingerprint recognition unit 600 may be provided in the form of asingle integrated circuit (IC).

The touch panel TP according to an example embodiment may include, inthe fingerprint recognition area FA on the substrate 100, a thirdsensing electrode 120 extending in a fourth direction D4 and including aplurality of third sensing electrodes 120 arranged along a thirddirection D3 which intersects the fourth direction D4, and a fourthsensing electrode 320 extending in the third direction D3 and includinga plurality of fourth sensing electrodes 320 arranged along the fourthdirection D4. The fourth sensing electrode 320 is insulated from thethird sensing electrode 120. The accuracy of fingerprint sensing in thefingerprint recognition area FA may vary depending on the density of thethird sensing electrode 120 and the fourth sensing electrode 320.

Although FIG. 3 illustrates an example in which five third sensingelectrodes 120 are arranged along the third direction D3 and five fourthsensing electrodes 320 are arranged along the fourth direction D4, thenumber of the third sensing electrodes 120 and the number of the fourthsensing electrodes 320 are not limited thereto. The number of the thirdsensing electrodes 120 and the number of the fourth sensing electrodes320 may vary according to a desired accuracy level of fingerprintsensing.

Although the third sensing electrode 120 and the fourth sensingelectrode 320 according to an example embodiment are depicted as eachhaving a bar shape, example embodiments are not limited thereto. Thethird sensing electrode 120 and the fourth sensing electrode 320 mayhave a structure including a bar-shaped stem portion and a branchportion branching off from the stem portion. The third sensing electrode120 and the fourth sensing electrode 320 may be arranged or positionedto intersect each other on a plane.

In addition, the third sensing electrode 120 and the fourth sensingelectrode 320 may have the form of a mesh having significantly narrowline width w and distance d in a range of about several micrometers (μm)to about several tens of micrometers.

In addition, the third sensing electrode 120 and the fourth sensingelectrode 320 may be arranged or positioned in a boundary area of theplurality of pixels PX on the display panel DP. That is, the thirdsensing electrode 120 and the fourth sensing electrode 320 may bearranged or positioned in a shape surrounding each of the pixels PX on aplane.

The third sensing electrode 120 and the fourth sensing electrode 320 mayinclude a metal or a TCO. Such a TCO may include at least one materialselected from the group consisting of: ITO, IZO, ZnO, CNT, and graphene.

The third sensing electrode 120 may be electrically connected to a thirdrouting wiring 125 and the fourth sensing electrode 320 may beelectrically connected to a fourth routing wiring 325. The third routingwiring 125 and the fourth routing wiring 325 may be connected to thefingerprint recognition unit 600.

The fingerprint recognition unit 600 inputs a driving signal to thethird sensing electrode 120, and may recognize fingerprints based on acapacitance variation or a voltage variation measured by the fourthsensing electrode 320.

For example, when a touch action is performed to the fingerprintrecognition area FA for a predetermine time or more, the fingerprintrecognition unit 600 may recognize the touched fingerprint and generatea fingerprint information.

A fingerprint is a raised wrinkle at the last joint of human fingers andincludes a ridge and a valley between the ridges. That is, when a fingercontacts the fingerprint recognition area FA, the ridge contacts thefingerprint recognition area FA, but the valley does not. That is,coordinates at which a capacitance measured by the fourth sensingelectrode 320 changes may correspond to a ridge, and coordinates atwhich a capacitance does not change may correspond to a valley. In sucha manner, fingerprints may be recognized or measured.

The fingerprint recognition unit 600 may be directly arranged orpositioned on the display panel DP in the form of an integrated circuit(IC) or may be provided as a separate configuration.

FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating a touch panel TP according toalternative example embodiments. The repeated descriptions of the touchpanel according to an example embodiment will be omitted from thedescriptions of the touch panel according to alternative exampleembodiments.

Referring to FIG. 6, the touch panel TP according to alternative exampleembodiments may include a substrate 100 including a touch recognitionarea TA and a fingerprint recognition area FA, a plurality of firstsensing electrodes 110 and a plurality of second sensing electrodes 310in the touch recognition area TA on the substrate 100, a firstconnection electrode 111 connecting adjacent ones of the first sensingelectrodes 110 in a first direction D1, a second connection electrode311 connecting adjacent ones of the second sensing electrodes 310 in asecond direction D2, a first routing wiring 115 connected to the firstsensing electrode 110, a second routing wiring 315 connected to thesecond sensing electrode 310, a touch driving unit 500, and afingerprint recognition unit 600.

In the touch panel TP according to alternative example embodiments, thefingerprint recognition area FA may be a central portion of an edgeportion of the substrate 100. In the touch panel TP according toalternative example embodiments, a first connection electrode thatconnects first sensing electrodes 110 a adjacent to the fingerprintrecognition area FA may be omitted. In addition, an auxiliary routingwiring 115 a connecting the touch driving unit 500 and the first sensingelectrodes 110 a separated by the omitted first connection electrode maybe further provided.

The auxiliary routing wiring 115 a may be arranged or positioned tooppose the first routing wiring 115. For example, as illustrated in FIG.6, in the case where the first routing wiring 115 is arranged orpositioned at a right portion of the substrate 100, the auxiliaryrouting wiring 115 a may be arranged or positioned at a left portion ofthe substrate 100. Similarly, in the case where the first routing wiring115 is arranged or positioned at an upper portion of the substrate 100,the auxiliary routing wiring 115 a may be arranged or positioned at alower portion of the substrate 100. The second routing wiring 315 may beprovided in the same manner.

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating a touch panel TP according toalternative example embodiments. The repeated descriptions of the touchpanel according to an example embodiment will be omitted from thedescriptions of the touch panel according to alternative exampleembodiments.

Referring to FIG. 7, the touch panel TP according to alternative exampleembodiments may include a substrate 100 including a touch recognitionarea TA and a fingerprint recognition area FA, a plurality of firstsensing electrodes 110 and a plurality of second sensing electrodes 310in the touch recognition area TA on the substrate 100, a firstconnection electrode 111 connecting adjacent ones of the first sensingelectrodes 110 in a first direction D1, a second connection electrode311 connecting adjacent ones of the second sensing electrodes 310 in asecond direction D2, a first routing wiring 115 connected to the firstsensing electrode 110, a second routing wiring 315 connected to thesecond sensing electrode 310, a touch driving unit 500, and afingerprint recognition unit 600.

In the touch panel TP according to alternative example embodiments, thefingerprint recognition area FA may be a predetermined area on thesubstrate 100. For example, the fingerprint recognition area FA may besurrounded by the first sensing electrode 110 and the second sensingelectrode 310 on a plane.

In the touch panel TP according to alternative example embodiments, afirst connection electrode connecting first sensing electrodes 110 aadjacent to the fingerprint recognition area FA may be omitted, and anauxiliary routing wiring 115 a connecting the touch driving unit 500 andthe first sensing electrodes 110 a separated by the omitted firstconnection electrode may be further provided.

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating a touch panel TP according toalternative example embodiments, and FIG. 9 is a partial enlarged viewillustrating a fingerprint recognition area FA of FIG. 8. The repeateddescriptions of the touch panel according to an example embodiment willbe omitted from the descriptions of the touch panel according toalternative example embodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the fingerprint recognition area FAaccording to alternative example embodiments may have substantially atriangular shape. The touch panel TP according to alternative exampleembodiments may include, in the fingerprint recognition area FA on asubstrate 100, a third sensing electrode 120 extending in a fourthdirection D4 and including a plurality of third sensing electrodes 120arranged along a third direction D3 which intersects the fourthdirection D4, and a fourth sensing electrode 320 extending in the thirddirection D3 and including a plurality of fourth sensing electrodes 320arranged along the fourth direction D4. The fourth sensing electrode 320is insulated from the third sensing electrode 120. The accuracy offingerprint sensing in the fingerprint recognition area FA may varydepending on the density of the third sensing electrodes 120 and thefourth sensing electrodes 320.

Although FIG. 9 illustrates an example in which five third sensingelectrodes 120 are arranged along the third direction D3 and five fourthsensing electrodes 320 are arranged along the fourth direction D4, thenumber of the third sensing electrodes 120 and the number of the fourthsensing electrodes 320 are not limited thereto. The number of the thirdsensing electrodes 120 and the number of the fourth sensing electrodes320 may vary according to a desired accuracy level of fingerprintsensing.

The third sensing electrode 120 and the fourth sensing electrode 320according to the present example embodiment are depicted as each havinga bar shape, but example embodiments are not limited thereto. The thirdsensing electrode 120 and the fourth sensing electrode 320 may have astructure including a bar-shaped stem portion and a branch portionbranching off from the stem portion. The third sensing electrode 120 andthe fourth sensing electrode 320 may be arranged or positioned tointersect each other on a plane.

In addition, the third sensing electrode 120 and the fourth sensingelectrode 320 may have the form of a mesh having significantly narrowline width w and distance d in a range of about several micrometers (μm)to about several tens of micrometers.

In addition, the third sensing electrode 120 and the fourth sensingelectrode 320 may be arranged or positioned in a boundary area of theplurality of pixels PX on the display panel DP. That is, the thirdsensing electrode 120 and the fourth sensing electrode 320 may bearranged or positioned in a shape surrounding each of the pixels PX on aplane.

The third sensing electrode 120 may be electrically connected to a thirdrouting wiring 125 and the fourth sensing electrode 320 may beelectrically connected to a fourth routing wiring 325. The third routingwiring 125 and the fourth routing wiring 325 may be connected to afingerprint recognition unit 600.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are cross-sectional views illustrating display devicesaccording to alternative example embodiments. The repeated descriptionsof the display device according to an example embodiment will be omittedfrom the descriptions of the display device according to alternativeexample embodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the display device according toalternative example embodiments may include a display panel DP, a touchpanel TP on the display panel DP, and a cover glass CG on the touchpanel TP.

The touch panel TP may include a substrate 100, a first sensingelectrode 110 in a touch recognition area TA on the substrate 100, athird sensing electrode 120 in a fingerprint recognition area FA on thesubstrate 100, a first insulating layer 200 on the first sensingelectrode 110 and the third sensing electrode 120, a second sensingelectrode 310 in the touch recognition area TA on the first insulatinglayer 200, a fourth sensing electrode 320 in the fingerprint recognitionarea FA on the first insulation layer 200, and a second insulating layer400 on the second sensing electrode 310 and the fourth sensing electrode320.

The cover glass CG may include a first surface 710 facing the touchpanel TP and a second surface 720 opposing the first surface 710 andexposed outwards.

The cover glass CG may have a groove in an area corresponding to thefingerprint recognition area FA. Referring to FIG. 10, the cover glassCG may have a groove 715 in the first surface 710 facing the touch panelTP. In addition, referring to FIG. 11, the cover glass CG may have agroove 725 in the second surface 720 exposed outwards.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the cover glass CG may have grooves 715and 725 having arch-shaped cross-sections. However, example embodimentsare not limited thereto, and the grooves 715 and 725 may havecross-sections having a quadrangular or trapezoidal shape, for example.

The cover glass CG may have a minimum thickness t1 in an area where thegrooves 715 and 725 are defined. The minimum thickness t1 may be in arange of 5% to 95% (e.g., about 5% to about 95%) of a thickness t2 ofthe cover glass CG. For example, the minimum thickness t1 may be in arange of 5% to 30% (e.g., about 5% to about 30%) of the thickness t2 ofthe cover glass CG.

According to example embodiments, the thickness t2 of the cover glass CGmay be in a range of about 450 μm to about 550 μm. In addition, theminimum thickness t1 in an area where the grooves 715 and 725 aredefined may be in a range of about 150 μm to about 250 μm.

According to example embodiments, the display device may improve thesensitivity of the fingerprint recognition sensor while substantiallyminimizing rigidity degradation of the cover glass CG by defining thearch-shaped groove in an area of the cover glass CG corresponding to thefingerprint recognition area FA.

As set forth hereinabove, in one or more example embodiments, the touchpanel and the display device including the touch panel include afingerprint sensor on a same layer as a layer on which the touch panelis arranged or positioned, but in a different area from an area in whichthe touch panel is arranged or positioned, rather than having a separatelayer for arranging or positioning the fingerprint sensor, such that thethickness of the display device may be reduced.

In addition, in one or more example embodiments, the touch panel and thedisplay device including the touch panel, which include the fingerprintsensor on a same layer as a layer on which the touch panel is arrangedor positioned, but in a different area from an area in which the touchpanel is arranged or positioned, may provide a wiring structure of atouch sensor and a fingerprint sensor.

While the present invention has been shown and described with referenceto the example embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those ofordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and detail may bemade thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A touch panel comprising: a substrate having atouch recognition area and a fingerprint recognition area; a pluralityof first sensing electrodes in the touch recognition area on thesubstrate; a first connection electrode connecting adjacent ones of thefirst sensing electrodes in one direction; a touch driving unitconfigured to drive the first sensing electrode; and a first routingwiring connecting the first sensing electrode and the touch drivingunit, wherein at least one of the plurality of first sensing electrodesadjacent to the fingerprint recognition area is separated from theplurality of first sensing electrodes, and the touch panel furthercomprises an auxiliary routing wiring connecting the separated firstsensing electrode and the touch driving unit.
 2. The touch panel asclaimed in claim 1, further comprising a third sensing electrode and afourth sensing electrode insulated from each other in the fingerprintrecognition area on the substrate.
 3. The touch panel as claimed inclaim 2, further comprising: a fingerprint recognition unit configuredto drive the third sensing electrode and the fourth sensing electrode; athird routing wiring connecting the third sensing electrode and thefingerprint recognition unit; and a fourth routing wiring connecting thefourth sensing electrode and the fingerprint recognition unit.
 4. Thetouch panel as claimed in claim 3, wherein the touch driving unit andthe fingerprint recognition unit oppose each other on the substrate.